Dark and Darker

We fell back in time.

I will get used to it.

The shadows no longer 

hold the trees to the ground.

Armadas of clouds have come and gone,

fluff of childhood.

Pewter sky fills the landscape above.

Furring maples, hornbeam and liquidambar

glow in the darkening gloom,

but the mosses assert themselves,

the resurrection ferns remind us

that even in death there is life.

We are all of a season

spring young, summer golden

autumn fading

and winter.
"Gratitude bestows reverence....
changing forever
how we experience
life and the world.

Mended and Good

My eye is just Jim Dandy. Thank goodness. I am still squinting and making ugly faces as my old glasses just don't do the trick. With luck, I'll have new ones next week sometime and I will be so happy.
What a trip it's been, but I am so thankful for modern day surgery.

It has been rainy and stormy here...we lost all power the other day which is really not a big thing as I can cook on the woodstove and we do have kerosene lanterns, but we do not have water without electricity to run the pump from our well. No water is a bummer.
Usually I am prepared and have pots filled so that we can have water to cook with, brush our pearly-whites with and do a bit of clean up, but for some reason I neglected to do that task and I was bent out of shape over my neglectful ways. 
I did take some photos before the gales began. These were taken in one of our greenhouses as it was raining. I have no idea if they are rubbish or will pass muster because of the above mentioned eye/focusing problems I have. The last two are of some wild turkeys who came to call. I wish you could see the expressions on the faces of my chickens when these birds stroll by. It's hilarious.

I forgot to mention that the very first photo is of dogwood seedpod.
They are spectacularly glorious.
Many thanks for your good wishes. I do appreciate them so much.
I hope all of you are having a wonderful week.
With affection, Ellen.

Mending

My eye is mending exceptionally well. I am so grateful for the progress and can really notice the improvement in how much clearer my vision is. I do need to wear my old glasses and the problem is that the right lens no longer "fits" my right eye. This causes much frustration as my depth perception stinks, driving is tricky and the ground is in the wrong place when I walk. I am also abnormally fatigued and I think that it's because I am using so much energy to just focus and not trip over my own feet. Next week I will go to the opthamologist to find out when I can get new glasses. I can't wait to get that done. I haven't even picked up my camera...I can well imagine what my photos would look like. Yikes!

I will add an old image that some of you may remember..my beloved visitor who came every day for weeks to bring cheer and a huge smile to my face.

 Naturally, I chose this image because of his beautiful eyes. Don't that say that the eyes are the window to the soul? If so, you just have to know what a soulful and wonderful being he was.

Thank you all for your concern and words of encouragement.

I'll be back, but probably not for a few days. 

Best to all, Ellen.

Cow Chow....

....and babies.

In the spring we had some new additions to the herd.

I love the face on this one.

Zorro or Zorretta?

These last photos are of some of the forage my family planted for

the grazing cows. It was eventually baled, but a bit of it

ended up in jars in the house.

I think they are beautiful.

Above is arrow leaf clover and below triticale.

Hoping that all of you are having, or have had,

a wickedly good Wednesday.

Tomorrow I am off to the eye dr. to have

a cataract removed from my right eye.

I am grateful to be able to have this done

and will be even happier to have it over with.

These sneak up on everyone after a certain age

and I know it's a pretty routine procedure. 

Best to all, Ellen.

Wild Things

I tried to capture the delightful scene of otters

swimming in our creek.

There was a mother and two babies who looked

so frisky and happy gliding in the low water.

My photos are not very good

as I was standing on top of our bridge

and they can be remarkably swift.

Actually, I had to discard most pictures

and the only ones remaining that were sort of o.k.

are just of the mother. I think the babies were

curled up in the water grasses napping.

This photo is taken in the opposite direction

and I love how the sky is reflected in the water.

This little land loving guy and his compatriots

have been very busy for weeks

climbing way up in the fir trees

to throw cones down which creates quite

a racket when the cones hit the top of my car

or the roof of the woodshed.

They leave the cones to burst open on their own

and then eat away, or hide them in very special places.

We have lived here for over thirty years

and I never remember a summer/fall where

we have had so many fir cones.

The acorns are also prolific this year.

Perhaps Mother Nature is posting her 

notes for a cold winter.

All the best to you and many thanks

for yesterday's visits.

Ellen.

Alive and Kicking

Yoo Hoo

I'm back after such a very long time.

Been missing in action because of an awful back injury

and just plain not getting it done.

I am not sure if I will remember how to navigate.

I'll start slowly with some images that are not exactly new,

but ones I hope you will enjoy.

I have missed all of you so much.

Many thanks to all you sweet and thoughtful

friends who have asked about me and expressed concern.

It means so much to me.

We have had a lovely summer here,

though it has been a very warm.

The gift of so many weeks of heat

has been an abundance of yummy tomatoes,

cucumbers and kale.

Wishing all a good and happy week.

I will be back tomorrow.

Much love, Ellen.